Inflow control devices can include equipment for controlling the rate of fluid flow from a well, such as an oil or gas well for extracting fluids that can include petroleum oil hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. An inflow control device can be used to balance inflow throughout the length of a tubing string of a well system by balancing or equalizing pressure from a wellbore of horizontal well. For example, several inflow control devices disposed at different points along a tubing string of a well can be used to regulate the pressure at different locations in the tubing string. An inflow control device can also be used to stimulate production of fluid from a well. For example, an inflow control device can be used to inject fluid into the wellbore to stimulate the flow of production fluids, such as petroleum oil hydrocarbons, from a subterranean formation.
An inflow control device can include one or more inflow control device tubes through which fluid can flow in a production direction from the subterranean formation to the surface or be injected in an injection direction from a rig at the surface to the subterranean formation. An inflow control device tube can have a diameter sufficiently small to create a pressure differential from an inlet to an outlet of the inflow control device tube. The smaller diameter of an inflow control device tube can create a risk of blockage. For example, defects in production equipment can cause debris to be injected into the well during the injection process. Such debris can be sufficiently large to block or otherwise obstruct an injection inlet of an inflow control device tube.
It is desirable for an inflow control device to allow fluid to bypass an inlet blocked by debris during the injection process.